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Rep. Loretta Sanchez (D-Calif.) noted that the floor presents a much better playing field than the House Armed Services Committee, which is loaded with conservative Democrats.

Rep. Gene Taylor (D-Miss.), one of those conservative Democrats, said he’ll vote against the repeal and wishes he would prefer not to have to vote on it at all.

“I wish they would not be bringing it up,” he said. “You wish the proponents of this would do this as a stand-alone bill.”

There are some glimmers of hope for repeal backers who believe the White House and Pentagon imprimaturs will be helpful.

Rep. Brad Ellsworth, an Indiana Democrat, said he hasn’t made his mind up yet. He served with gay and lesbian officers as a sheriff in southwestern Indiana and had no issues but wants to hear more from military leaders, he said.

“The Pentagon more than the White House,” he said of whose view might influence him. “That’s who I’ll defer to as experts: the Pentagon, not the White House.”

Murphy said his whip list is at 192 public supporters and as many as two dozen more have committed to him privately. One new backer: Freshman Rep. Charles Djou, a Hawaii Republican who was sworn in Tuesday.

Meanwhile, people on both sides of the debate are playing the Pentagon’s statement to their advantage.

Tommy Sears, executive director of the Center for Military Readiness, which opposes repeal, said the White House's "capitulation" to gay-rights organizations is a subversion of the process that Gates laid out and that was supported by the House Armed Services Committee, which did not include a repeal provision in its markup of the defense authorization bill.

But Fred Sainz, spokesman for the Human Rights Campaign, said the important line in Gates' statement is the one that says Gates accepts the proposed amendment, adding that the compromise does respect the Pentagon's review process.

Readers' Comments (80)

Good. Time for the country to move on to 21st century. Let the lawmakers do their part and let the pentagon implement it at their schedule. Nobody is forcing anyone's hand here. But naturally the GOP has to object to anything the president proposes, because thats what their core mission is in an election year. No surprises there. They will continue to be the party-of-NO.

The opponents know they have no facts to stop repeal, just scary invented scenarios of what might happen. The most they can hope for is to postpone the inclusion of openly, gay soldiers. Only Muslim Turkey of our NATO allies still bans gays in the military, do we stand for freedom or with Islamic states? Israel is a mighty, fighting machine and allows gays to serve. What are you afraid of cowardly conservatives?

The opponents know they have no facts to stop repeal, just scary invented scenarios of what might happen. The most they can hope for is to postpone the inclusion of openly, gay soldiers. Only Muslim Turkey of our NATO allies still bans gays in the military, do we stand for freedom or with Islamic states? Israel is a mighty, fighting machine and allows gays to serve. What are you afraid of cowardly conservatives?

Perhaps we should put all the gays in one Unit (s ) ? Just think of the fear it may strike into the hearts of the Islamic Terrorists. They execute homosexuals and prostitutes in Islamic countries. Let the terrorists "worry " about what " may " happen to them if they are captured by a all " Gay " military unit LOL ! I am kidding of course.....but think about it.......it "may" freak" out those nasty ole terrorists !

Miss USA is now about politics and religious beliefs, so it is ruined.

The fans who brought politics into basketball- Los Suns- ruined.

Now, bringing politics and religion into the military could very well destroy us all.

I myself have considered joining the military. The option is still open. However, if they repeal the Don't Ask,Don't Tell, I would not join due to my religious beliefs.

Right now, we have the world's greatest military. But the soldiers I know who are fighting valiantly in the Middle East have stated numerous times that repealing this law could destroy everything our country has ever worked for.

Why? It would pull the troops- and Americans apart, because it has to do with religion and politics.

For some reason, President Obama is picking the wrong battles. His plans to give illegals aka trespassers citizenship and for open gays to serve in the military are both divisive in this country. If either of these plans passes, they could lead to giant culture wars in the USA.

Miss USA is now about politics and religious beliefs, so it is ruined.

The fans who brought politics into basketball- Los Suns- ruined.

Now, bringing politics and religion into the military could very well destroy us all.

I myself have considered joining the military. The option is still open. However, if they repeal the Don't Ask,Don't Tell, I would not join due to my religious beliefs.

Right now, we have the world's greatest military. But the soldiers I know who are fighting valiantly in the Middle East have stated numerous times that repealing this law could destroy everything our country has ever worked for.

Why? It would pull the troops- and Americans apart, because it has to do with religion and politics.

For some reason, President Obama is picking the wrong battles. His plans to give illegals aka trespassers citizenship and for open gays to serve in the military are both divisive in this country. If either of these plans passes, they could lead to giant culture wars in the USA.

I read way back where Obama said that : " All American citizens both male and female alike between the ages of 18 to 40 should have to spend some time in Government service ". It would serve some of those libtards right if Obama starts up the military draft again. I enlisted when I was 18 and spent many years in the US Army that was by my choice. Once the economy is strong once again. Enlistments in the Federal military and National Guard and Reserves may take a big nose dive. Having gays serve openly will not help the military in any way that I can see. Just create more problems then it solves.

Some people think secret prisons, torture, violation of other sovereign nation's territory, murder by drone, murder by cruise missile, assasination, international fraud, destruction of the environment, nanotech pollution, egress of US jobs to India, Malaysia, and China, absence of US jobs, unstemmed immigration, nonpayment of the national debt, failure to balance the national budget, absence of a gold standard, absence of national gold reserves, printing or US money without any fiscal backing, espionage of national security secrets, spending a trillion dollars on health insurance that you must buy yourself and that is already available to most people, replacing "ghost stories" and "UFO stories" with "Taliban stories" and "Osama Bin Laden stories," etc. are "business as usual."

The only thing that these people are concerned with happen in the privacy of their own bedrooms: The alleged "civil rights" to abortion and homosexuality in the US Military. Do you think these people might have "a problem," or does everybody?

Let the people who are affected by this vote, period. If the men and women in the military vote yes...fine. If they vote no...so be it. They are the ones putting themselves on the line everyday not these idiots in Congress.

Homosexuals should NEVER! I repeat NEVER! be allowed to serve open in the military. The military isn't some lame azz Socialist (aka Dem) Social Engineering Project! It's there to fight wars and defend this nation. If Homosexuals want to serve...they serve and keep their Freak Show in the closet! If this is allowed what is next!?!?!?! Cross Dressers/Transvestites!?!?!? And don't laugh...these Socialist (aka Dems) would have dudes wearing female uniforms(posing as women in uniform)!

Secretary Gates should go further to ensure that our country continues to attract the best people for service in our armed forces. In addition to lifting the ban, the Pentagon should also raise the enlistment age requirments and target recruitment efforts on needed skill-based professions among more seasoned (not traditional 18-24 year old recruits) citizens. The Army's recent experience with older recruits has shown a greater maturity level and ability to complete assigned tasks under stressful situations than younger recruits. With psychological issues and suicides dramatically increasing throughout the military, it may be time to consider alternative manpower approaches.

Homosexuals should NEVER! I repeat NEVER! be allowed to serve open in the military. The military isn't some lame azz Socialist (aka Dem) Social Engineering Project! It's there to fight wars and defend this nation. If Homosexuals want to serve...they serve and keep their Freak Show in the closet! If this is allowed what is next!?!?!?! Cross Dressers/Transvestites!?!?!? And don't laugh...these Socialist (aka Dems) would have dudes wearing female uniforms(posing as women in uniform)!

Just a question here, what logical reason can you offer to not allow cross dressers? The only reason I can think of is you don't think our soldiers can follow orders and aren't mature enough to be able to serve with one.

Why? It would pull the troops- and Americans apart, because it has to do with religion and politics.

1. Obama/Dems end DADT; 2. Straights abandon military service in droves; 3. Obama/Dems reinstate the military draft. Then some of the left wing Ivy League scum will have to take their turn playing hot potato with IED's and learning first hand about TBI.

Perhaps we should put all the gays in one Unit (s ) ? Just think of the fear it may strike into the hearts of the Islamic Terrorists. They execute homosexuals and prostitutes in Islamic countries. Let the terrorists "worry " about what " may " happen to them if they are captured by a all " Gay " military unit LOL ! I am kidding of course.....but think about it.......it "may" freak" out those nasty ole terrorists !